How to Address a Letter to a Pastor

By Stephanie Breaux ; Updated September 29, 2017

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It is important to address a letter properly.

When addressing a letter to a pastor, it is polite to begin it with "The Reverend." This is a title used to address a member of the clergy including pastors and priests. The title "The Reverend" is used to describe an individual and still must be used with a name. It is not proper to simply write the title without a name following. While addressing a letter to a pastor is done in the same format as most other letters, a couple of small changes must be made.

Begin the letter by completing the address line. This will be at the top-left of the letter. Start the letter by writing "The Reverend." Write his given name next to it. For example, you may write "The Reverend Stephen Smith."

Write the church name on the line under the pastor's full name.

Write out the address under the church name. This should be in the standard letter format. For example:

4000 Street Name Town Name, TX 00000

Begin the letter by writing "Dear Pastor," followed by his name.

Finish the letter as you normally would.

Tip

If the pastor holds a doctorate degree, you will need to address the letter differently. Write "Dear Dr." then the pastor's surname.